YORKTOWN – Underwater escape drills, simulated flooding and hazardous cargo inspections on Aug. 28 offered a glimpse into the hands-on training that Coast Guard students receive at the training center in Yorktown.
Established in 1957, the training center has seven apprentice schools, called “A” schools, that prepare students for specialized careers. The schools train boatswain’s mates, damage controlmen, machinery technicians, electrician’s mates, gunner’s mates, intelligence specialists and marine science technicians. Training periods range from eight to 16 weeks, depending on the trade.
Capt. Scott Rae, the training center’s commanding officer, said the timing of the tour aligns with students returning to school, especially high schoolers considering their post-high school options.
“There are many of our young men and women who don’t want to go to college, are not ready to go to college, so [the military] becomes an attractive option,” Rae said.
The tour showcased the training students undergo to become a boatswain’s mate, damage controlman, gunner’s mate, marine science technician and machinery technician, as well as a demonstration of the MK 110 mounted gun.
Boatswain’s Mate First Class Chad Moring noted the versatility of his field.
“We’re the jack of all trades,” he said. “Anything from a boat driver to a weapons petty officer to a law enforcement officer … to the person in charge of the (rescue and survival) gear.”
The boatswain’s mate drill included treading water for two minutes, opening a door at the bottom of the pool while in full rescue gear and simulating escaping from a capsized vessel. To mimic a no-light scenario, trainees had to do the underwater drills once with blackout goggles.
The damage controlman demonstration involved the “wet trainer,” where students responded to simulated damage such as pipe ruptures and bullet holes.
“We’re kind of that first line of defense,” Senior Chief Petty Officer Steven Brochu said. “Damage control training is where they’ll come in (and) learn carpentry, welding, allied processes, plumbing, you name it.”
Damage controlman students also learn firefighting duties. Chief Kerry McGeein showcased the space they use for fire simulations, which can get up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
The gunner’s mate portion didn’t include a firearms demonstration, but offered a look at the indoor firing range and the array of weapons students are trained on. A gunner’s mate is responsible for the operation and maintenance of Coast Guard weapons systems.
“They learn anything from ordnance administration to electricity to magazine sprinklers,” Chief Warrant Officer Paul Vaskey said. “We put them in the most difficult circumstances here, so no matter what they encounter in the field, they have experience with it.”
The marine science technician training demonstrated hazmat cargo inspection, including safety procedures, the protocol for leaks and the protocol for mislabeled hazmat cargo or hazmat items not listed on the shipping papers.
“It’s one of our missions as a marine science technician,” Chief Petty Officer Freddy Perez said. “We mostly look into hazmat containers … and then we also check general cargo containers to ensure that they’re not shipping hazardous materials undeclared.”
The machinery technician portion involved a brief demonstration of the MK110 57MM mounted gun, including how rapidly it moves, operation and when it’s used. The tour also included a glimpse into the welding, plumbing and carpentry classrooms, as well as the internal combustion engines lab where students disassemble and reassemble a working boat engine.
Rae encouraged community members to take advantage of opportunities to learn more about the Coast Guard and its work.
“The Coast Guard, unlike the other services, when someone needs a tour … they can call any Coast Guard unit in the entire Coast Guard, and they would be welcome to come for a tour at any time,” Rae said.
